[Biological effect of shock waves--more than "just" lithotripsy?]

After their introduction into medicine for kidney stone lithotripsy, extracorporeal shock waves have gained an established or promising role in the treatment of bileduct, pancreatic and salivary stones during the last years. Treatment of gallbladder stones is possible in a large proportion of patients, yet is cumbersome. Beyond lithotripsy, treatment of pseudarthrosis by shock waves reveals positive results. The role of shock waves in the treatment of soft tissue pain is at present unknown. There is a potential for further therapeutic applications of shock waves since shock waves exert a strong biological effect on tissue which is mediated by cavitation. Experiments using shock waves for tumor therapy have shown some promising results, yet devices which generate other waveforms than lithotripters are probably better suited. Shock waves cause a transient increase in the permeability of the cell membrane, and this might lead to further applications of shock waves.